Tennis racket



March 22, 1921. L. G. MORTEN TENNIS BASKET Filed March 6. 1924 Fig.

Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

LOUIS G. MORTEN', OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

TENNIS RACKET.

Application filed March 6, 1924. Serial No. 697,243.

The present invention relates to improvements in tennis rackets and more particularly refers to the adjustment of the strings in the racket frame.

It is an object of the invention to provide for the tightening of the strings in the racket frame from time to time as they become loosened and to accomplish this by a structure which will admit of the individual binding of the strings without involving too great an expense in the production of the racket and without involving undue labor or trouble in effecting the adjustment.

Another object of the invention isto effect the stringing of the racket and the adjustment of the strings without requiring any pinching of the strings. This pinching of gut strings, or in fact metallic strings or Wires, tends to cause the early destruction of the string and it also avoids that degree of tautness of the string which may be secured by placing the string under axial tension throughout its entire length.

With the present invention, the strings may be loosened when the racket is not in use, thus relieving the strings from tension and enabling them to be tightened whenever the racket is about to be used. The loosening of the strings when the racket is not in use will prolong the life of the strings.

A further object gained by the present device is that the individual owner may string his own racket when and as he desending the racket to a manufacturer or person making a business of it. This not only saves time, but expense in stringing rackets.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter, and will be .more particularly pointed out in the claim .appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary front view, with parts in section, of a tennis racket constructed in accordance with the present invention. v

Figure 2 is an view" the same.

sires, and dispenses with the necessity of Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary View taken through the screw plug and adjacent portions of'the racket.

Figure dis a section taken on the line 5-5 in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an exterior end view of a portion of the racket and plug, and

Figure 7 is an interior fragmentary View of the same parts.

Referring more particularly to the drawings 7 designates a portion of the handle of a tennis racket and 8 the substantially oval frame thereof which is usually made of wood, although it may be of metal or other appropriate material. The frame 8 is strung with longitudinal and transverse'strings or wires9 and 10 respectively and these strings are usually of gut, although they are some times of metallic wires. For purposes of illustration I have shown merely three of the transverse strings or wires 10 as being mounted in the frame 8, but it is understood that each transverse and longitudinal string or wire may be connected in the same manner, so that individual adjustment may be secured.

The frame 8 is shown as provided along its outer edge with perforations 11 to receive the strings, the strings being knotted as shown at 12 to avoid pulling through the perforations.

The strings or wires 10 pass through the perforations 11 and extend across the open interior portion of the frame 8 to the opposite side thereof. At the opposite sides the strings are received through the openings 14 made in the plugs 15. These plugs are of appropriate length and diameter and they are shown as screw threaded upon their outer surfaces as indicated at 16 in order to take into similar threads 17 formed within the cylindrical passages of the frame 8. These cylindrical passages are open both on the exterior and interior sides of the frame 8, and the bore of each passage extends in axial alinement with the opening 11 at the opposite side of the frame, so that a string extends directly or diametrically from one lee side of the racket frame to the other and di" rectly in alinement through the opening 11 and the opening 14 of the respective plug 15. A washer 18 is shown as provided upon the outer end of each plug, but need not be of as great diameter as the plug. This Washer is also perforated to receive the stringand the string is 'knotted as indicated at 19 to prevent its being pulled through the washer and plug. 7

In'Figure 6 the inner end of the plug is shown as provided with cross slots 90" andQl to opposite sides of the cylindrical opening,

the slots being in the same diametric line and being adapted to receive the iorked end of a screw driver or other tool as indicated in dotted lines at 22 in Figure 4:.

In the-use of the device the string is first knotted at one end as. indicated at 12, the other end being threaded through the opening 11, after whi'chthe string may be pulled through the opening 11 untilthe knot 12 is drawn against the sidev ofth'e frame.

The opposite end of the string may then I be threaded through the opening 14 in the plug, and this will preferably be done before the plug is inserted in the racket frame. The washer 18 is also threaded or slipped on afterthe plug, and both washer and plug maybe moved along the string to give ample opportunity to form the knot 19. The plug 15 may then be inserted withthe washer and foremost from the inside of the frame 8 into "the, threaded opening 17 and bythe use of the tool 22' orother suitable implement the plug is rotated to cause it to travel axially outward thereby graduallyplacing the string 10 under tension. The rotation is continued until the string is drawn taut to the desired degree and as many as desired of the other strings of the racket may be treated in like manner. When undue slackness is developed in the strings the various plugs 15 may The washer 8- may slip around to prevent rotation of the strings as it is not desirable to twist the strings, theybeing given an appropriate amountof twist in the course-of their manufacture. All friction or tendency to cut thefstring at or near the knot 19 is removed byhaving the stationary Washer 18 take the pressure off the knot 19. The

forked tool 22 straddles the string. Of

course other type of tool may be used and the slots 20 and 21 may be placed upon the outside end of the plug 15 if desired in which case the forked end of the tool is desirable to bridge the washer 18.

The plugs may be used at both ends of the strings if desired or only at one end of the strings as shown. The construction is inexpensive to n'ianufacture, easy to adjust and in its use the lifeof the strings will be prolonged, and the resiliency will be increased due to the fact that there is no pinch ing of the string-abut that there is alwa s a constant force'holding the strings under on- .gitudinal tension, this tension being increased whenever desired by simplytuining the lugs;

0' course the washer 18 is optional'an'd maybe used or discarded, but its employment relieves the string of cutting at'leastto some extent.

The handle 7 of the racket is shown in Figures 1 and 2 as being of hollow metal.

:The metal affords: the necessary-rigidity and strength and the-fact that, the handle is-hollow saves considerable material and undue weight of the racket andaids ina delicate balance.

The oval frame 8i-may also be made, at least to sam extent, of a hollow construction in order to aid in the-matter of lightness and balance. Of course the portions. Where the plug enters are necessarily solid orprovided with interior walls. to takethe threads which engage the plugs, however, the oval frame may be made solid if desired- Where the oval frame 8 is hollowed out it will be: somewhat similar to channel iron, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Of course it will not be necessary to use plugsyon each string. Some ,plain strings may be used attached in the ordinary way and the plugs. might. alternate for instance first on on side-and then on-the other and this alternate use is. the preferred construc-' .tion.

Of course plugs mightbe used at 'both ends of each string. y

It is obvious that various changes. modifications maybe made in thedetaiilsof construction and design of the above spe cifically described embodiment 015 this invention: without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is A tennis racket comprising a frame having at one side an opening just wide enough to receive a string and provided with a recess at the outer end of the opening, a string knotted at one end, the string ada ted to pass through the opening and the not to lie in said recess, said frame having at its diametrically opposite portion an opening of greater diameter, a plug secured in'this opening, said threaded opening being open at and both ends and said plug having a passage axially therethrough of a diameter to snugly receive the string and being substantially in alinernent with the opening at the opposite side of the frame, the opposite end of the string being passed through the passage in said plug, said plug having divided diametrie slots on one end to receive a tool whereby to rotate the plug, and a washer upon the outside of the plug adapted to 10 receive the other knotted end of the strlng to avoid cutting of the string by the rotating plu Iii testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

LOUIS G. MORTEN. 

